scholarly journals Action Research In Teacher Preparation: An Inclusive Seminar

2011 ◽  
Vol 3 (12) ◽  
Author(s):  
Elissa Poel ◽  
Carolyn Dietrich
Keyword(s):  
Action Research ◽  
Student Teaching ◽  
Teacher Candidates ◽  
Curriculum And Instruction ◽  
Teacher Education Program ◽  
Research Question ◽  
Communication Disorders ◽  
The United States ◽  
Research Institution ◽  
K 12

The article focuses on a teacher education program at a Carnegie I Research Institution in the southwestern part of the United States; also, classified as a minority-serving institution. Teacher candidates in elementary, special, and bilingual education were enrolled in a combined student teaching seminar which is a collaborative initiative between the Departments of Special Education/Communication Disorders and Curriculum and Instruction. The authors of this manuscript are the researchers, seminar instructors, and directors of their student teaching components. The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of action research with teacher candidates during the student teaching semester. The research question that guided this research is: How effective is the use of action research with teacher candidates to determine evidence of student learning in the K-12 classroom?

scholarly journals Prospective Secondary Math Teachers Encountering STEM in a Methods Course: When Math is More Than “Just Math”

2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 247-286
Author(s):  
Lisa Marco-Bujosa
Keyword(s):  
Teacher Education ◽  
Student Teaching ◽  
Prospective Teachers ◽  
Teacher Education Program ◽  
The United States ◽  
Methods Course ◽  
Student Interest ◽  
Stem Learning ◽  
Learning And Teaching ◽  
K 12

Education reforms in the United States and abroad have increased efforts to improve student interest and capacity in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics). Despite these attempts, students still have little opportunity to engage in STEM learning in K-12 education. This qualitative case study was designed to investigate how incorporating STEM into teacher education can promote STEM teaching as well as enhance math instruction. The study took place in the fourth year of an undergraduate teacher education program spanning a secondary math and science Methods course and student teaching. Guided by the framework of sensemaking, individual interviews, teaching artifacts, and written reflections for four teachers were analyzed to identify moments of dissonance that pushed participants to reach new understandings about the learning and teaching of math. Findings indicated that learning to teach math through the lens of STEM shifted pre-service teachers’ instructional emphasis in two ways: 1) figuring out math vs. learning about math; and 2) teaching math through authentic STEM contexts as opposed to focusing purely on mathematics. However, experiences in student teaching can either enhance or stifle these gains. Findings suggest the role of teacher education in promoting STEM education by shifting prospective teachers’ mindsets about mathematics and teaching.

scholarly journals Sustainability of an Urban Teacher Education Program

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (3) ◽  
pp. 21
Author(s):  
Laura Atkinson ◽  
Sarup R. Mathur ◽  
Stanley H. Zucker
Keyword(s):  
Teacher Education ◽  
Student Teaching ◽  
Education Program ◽  
Teacher Candidates ◽  
Liberal Arts ◽  
Teacher Education Program ◽  
The United States ◽  
Urban Teacher Education ◽  
Urban Teacher ◽  
The Impact

Most of the teacher preparation programs in the United States adhere to a traditional curriculum that includes courses in foundations, liberal arts, methods, and student teaching. Too often these programs fail to provide opportunities for culturally responsive teaching where teacher candidates are encouraged to explore the role of culture in developing identity, providing space for learning, and building communities. A one-year Urban Teacher Education Program (UTEP) was created that focused on preparing teachers to work with disadvantaged, underprivileged, and marginalized children in urban schools. Teacher candidates received spaces to question their own thinking and reflect about issues related to (1) identity, (2) culture, (3) learning, and (4) assessment during this program. Four years after program completion, five participants from UTEP were selected for this study. The study used a mixed method approach to measure maintenance in transformation in their thinking. The results showed sustainability of the impact of the program four years later.

A Rational and Manageable Value-Added Model for Teacher Preparation Programs

2016 ◽  
Vol 32 (5) ◽  
pp. 728-750 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael P. Brady ◽  
Katie Miller ◽  
Jazarae McCormick ◽  
Lawrence A. Heiser
Keyword(s):  
Teacher Preparation ◽  
Student Teaching ◽  
Teacher Candidates ◽  
Value Added ◽  
Teacher Preparation Programs ◽  
Full Time ◽  
Preparation Programs ◽  
Grade Point ◽  
Value Added Model ◽  
K 12

Educators struggle with “value-added” teacher evaluation models based on high-stakes student assessments. Despite validity and reliability threats, these models evaluate university-based teacher preparation programs (TPPs), and play a role in state and professional accreditation. This study reports a more rational value-added evaluation model linking student performance to teacher candidates’ lessons during Practicum and Student Teaching. Results indicate that K-12 students showed learning gains on these lessons, with mixed findings on comparisons of part-time to full-time internships, academic and functional lessons, and candidates’ grade point averages (GPAs). Results indicated that teacher candidates’ lessons are a viable value-added model (VAM) alternative for TPPs.

How the Match Gets Made: Exploring Student Teacher Placements across Teacher Education Programs, Districts, and Schools

2021 ◽  
pp. e20200014
Author(s):  
Elise St. John ◽  
Dan Goldhaber ◽  
John Krieg ◽  
Roddy Theobald
Keyword(s):  
Teacher Education ◽  
Student Teachers ◽  
Student Teaching ◽  
Student Teacher ◽  
Teacher Candidates ◽  
Mentor Teachers ◽  
Teacher Education Programs ◽  
Effective Teacher ◽  
Education Programs ◽  
K 12

Emerging research finds connections between teacher candidates’ student teaching placements and their future career paths and effectiveness. Yet relatively little is known about the factors that influence these placements and how teacher education programs (TEPs) and K-12 school systems match teacher candidates to mentor teachers. In our study of this process in Washington state, we find that TEPs and K-12 systems share overarching goals related to successful student teacher placements and developing a highly effective teacher workforce. However, distinct accountabilities and day-to-day demands also sometimes lead them to prioritize other objectives. In addition, we identified informational asymmetries, which left TEPs questioning how mentor teachers were selected, and districts and schools with limited information with which to make intentional matches between teacher candidates and mentor teachers. The findings from this study inform both practice and research in teacher education and human resources. First, they illuminate practices that appear to contribute to informational gaps and institutional disadvantages in the placement of student teachers. Additionally, they raise questions about what constitutes an effective mentor teacher and provide researchers and policymakers with better insight into the professional realities of teacher educators and K-12 educators, as well as those of district human resource (HR) coordinators, which is important given their differing accountabilities and distinctive positionings in the education of teacher candidates.

Beyond censorship: politics, teens, and ELA teacher candidates

2017 ◽  
Vol 16 (3) ◽  
pp. 303-318 ◽  
Author(s):  
Denise Dávila ◽  
Meghan E. Barnes
Keyword(s):  
Teacher Candidates ◽  
English Language ◽  
Teacher Education Program ◽  
Research Question ◽  
The Body ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Secondary English ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Political Issues ◽  
Practical Experiences

Purpose Grounded in the scholarship addressing teacher self-censorship around controversial topics, this paper aims to investigate a three-part research question: How do secondary English language arts (ELA) teacher–candidates (TCs) in the penultimate semester of their undergraduate teacher education program position political texts/speeches, interpret high school teens’ political standpoints and view the prospects of discussing political texts/speeches with students? The study findings provide insights to the ways some TCs might position themselves as novice ELA teachers relative to political texts/speeches, students, colleagues and families in their future school communities. Design/methodology/approach Audio-recorded data from whole-class and small-group discussions were coded for TCs’ positioning of political texts/speeches, interpretations of teens’ political standpoints and viewpoints on discussing with students President Obama’s speech, “A More Perfect Union” (“A.M.P.U.”) The coded data set was further analyzed to identify themes across the TCs’ perspectives. Findings The data set tells the story of a group of TCs whose positionalities, background knowledge and practical experiences in navigating divergent perspectives would influence both their daily selection and censorship of political texts/speeches like “A.M.P.U.” and their subsequent willingness to guide equitable yet critical conversations about controversial issues in the secondary ELA classroom. Originality/value In advance of the 2018 midterm elections, this paper considers how the common core state standards’ (CCSS) recommendations to include more nonfiction documents in ELA instruction positions ELA teachers to provide interdisciplinary support in helping students think critically about political issues. It expands on the body of scholarship that, thus far, has been primarily grounded in the research on social studies instruction.

Attitudes Toward Game Adoption

2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 1-14 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nancy B. Sardone
Keyword(s):  
Small Groups ◽  
Teacher Candidates ◽  
Instructional Strategy ◽  
Teacher Education Program ◽  
Combination Strategy ◽  
Strategy Research ◽  
Games For Learning ◽  
K 12 ◽  
Core Activity ◽  
Facilitation Techniques

Gaming has become a core activity with children and more teachers are using games for learning than five years ago. Yet, teachers report that they learn about game titles, impact studies, and facilitation techniques through their own initiatives or from other teachers rather than from their teacher education program. This article reports on a combined curricular approach built on game strategy research that asked teacher candidates (n= 102) to discuss headlines news about gaming, play games, review games and game research, teach others how to play games, and then construct games. Findings revealed that candidates saw value in using games in K-12 to teach content, were able to develop assessments based on game content at a novice level, and were able to construct games either alone or in small groups. Educators contemplating gaming as an instructional strategy may be interested in the espoused combination strategy to encourage game adoption in K-12 settings.

scholarly journals Implementing Action Research in a Teacher Preparation Program: Opportunities and Limitations

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (2) ◽  
pp. 47-71
Author(s):  
Glenda L. Black
Keyword(s):  
Teacher Education ◽  
Teacher Preparation ◽  
Action Research ◽  
Professional Learning ◽  
Teacher Candidates ◽  
Teacher Education Program ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Teacher Preparation Program ◽  
Preparation Program ◽  
Problem Solving Skills

Action research has the potential to reconstruct schools into professional learning communities that are able to identify educational issues and develop appropriate solutions for 21st century learning. Increasingly, teacher education programs are providing action research experiences to encourage analytical thinking and problem-solving skills (Darling-Hammond, 2009, 2012). The purpose of this study was to critically examine the experiences of the teacher educator and teacher candidates involved in the implementation of an action research component over four years in a revised consecutive initial teacher preparation program. A case study design using action research methodology was used in the research, which provided the tools to explore a complex phenomenon within its context: the implementation of an action research assignment in a core course in a teacher preparation program. The perceptions of the faculty teaching the course and the teacher candidates (n=544) in each of the four years provided insight into challenges, benefits, and lessons learned.  The discussion centers on the implementation of action research in a compulsory course in a teacher education program; identifying opportunities and limitations settled into four main categories: structural incongruence, reflection, growth, and recommendations.

scholarly journals Pre-Service Teachers’ Reactions to Education Teacher Performance Assessment

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 44-52
Author(s):  
Belete Mebratu ◽  
Kelly Ahuna
Keyword(s):  
Teacher Education ◽  
Student Teachers ◽  
Student Teaching ◽  
Teacher Candidates ◽  
Teacher Education Program ◽  
Education Teacher ◽  
Master Of Science ◽  
Science Degree ◽  
Research Questions ◽  
Insight Into

The purpose of study was to explore the experiences of teacher candidates about being assessed by the Education Teacher Preparation Assessment (edTPA) requirements during their student teaching practicum. Fifty-six elementary and adolescent majors working for a Master of Science Degree in Education participated in the study by responding to open-ended survey questions. The study aimed at answering two research questions: (1) What are the challenges/concerns that the student teachers report about their experiences of edTPA during their student teaching placements? (2) Do teacher candidates suggest edTPA remains as part of the teacher education program requirement? The findings of the study indicate that the teacher candidates are adamant about their unfavorable experiences of edTPA implementation. They expressed that they found edTPA requirements to be an additional burden, not beneficial, a distraction, and they suggest that edTPA should be discarded from current teacher education programing. While such findings call for considerations to revisit aspects of edTPA for improvement, further studies are suggested to add insight into the nature of edTPA implementation.

Preservice Teachers Consider Game-Based Teaching and Learning

2020 ◽  
pp. 240-255
Author(s):  
Nancy B. Sardone
Keyword(s):  
Preservice Teachers ◽  
Teacher Candidates ◽  
Instructional Strategy ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Teacher Education Program ◽  
Educational Games ◽  
Combination Strategy ◽  
Strategy Research ◽  
Teaching Content ◽  
K 12

Gaming has become a core activity with children and more teachers are using games for teaching content than they did five years ago. Yet, teachers report that they learn about game titles, impact studies, and facilitation techniques through their own initiatives or from other teachers rather than from their teacher education program. This chapter reports on a combined curricular strategy built on game strategy research that asked teacher candidates (n= 125) to discuss news headlines about games, play educational games, review games, and game research, teach others how to play educational games, and construct games. Findings reveal that candidates saw value in using games in K-12 to teach content, were able to develop assessments based on game content at a novice level, and were able to construct games either alone or in small groups. Educators contemplating gaming as an instructional strategy may be interested in the espoused combination strategy to encourage game adoption in K-12 settings.

scholarly journals Analyzing Student Learning Gains to Evaluate Differentiated Teacher Preparation for Fostering English Learners’ Achievement in Linguistically Diverse Classrooms

2018 ◽  
Vol 70 (4) ◽  
pp. 372-387 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthew Ryan Lavery ◽  
Joyce Nutta ◽  
Alison Youngblood
Keyword(s):  
Teacher Preparation ◽  
Language Arts ◽  
English Learners ◽  
Teacher Candidates ◽  
English Language ◽  
Teacher Education Program ◽  
Secondary English ◽  
Nonnative Speakers Of English ◽  
Group 2 ◽  
K 12

Researchers compared pre/post classroom assessment scores of n = 8,326 K-12 students taught by n = 288 teacher candidates to determine if a differentiated teacher education program prepared them to support English learners’ (ELs) achievement in classrooms including native and nonnative speakers of English. Candidates in Group 1 comprised academic subject (secondary mathematics, science, and social studies) teacher candidates, who completed six teacher preparation courses with 15 key assignments that included a focus on ELs. Certification areas for Group 2 candidates include language arts instruction (elementary, early childhood, and secondary English language arts). Group 2 candidates completed from 12 to 15 courses with 41 to 50 key assignments that included a focus on ELs. Results indicate that teacher candidates in both groups helped narrow the gap between ELs and non-ELs from pretests to posttests. ELs performed no differently when taught by candidates from either group. Implications for teacher preparation are discussed.

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